Southern Arkansas tabs Lyon as coach

Muleriders bring in successful JUCO coach to lead program

MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Southern Arkansas has announced the hiring of Corey Lyon as its new softball coach. Lyon has served the past three years as head coach at Paris (Texas) Junior College.

Lyon’s teams compiled an overall record of 125-52 in his three seasons with Paris, including 66-20 in the Region 14 Eastern Conference. The 125 wins is the best three-year total in the school’s history, as is his .706 winning percentage. Lyon guided the Lady Dragons to their first-ever Eastern Division conference championship in 2009, and his teams qualified for the regional tournament in each of his three years, finishing as runner-up in 2009 and third this past year.

During Lyon’s tenure, Paris had the third best winning percentage among the 30 two-year schools in Texas who field softball teams. His teams led the region in home runs in each of his three seasons and set numerous school records. The Lady Panthers were nationally ranked for the past three years and had 23 players selected to all-region and all-conference teams. Lyon’s players excelled in the classroom also, with 20 of 23 players earning their two-year degrees and 10 players being named to the region all-academic team.

Prior to being at Paris, Lyon was head softball coach at Independent High School in Wichita, Kan., from 2005-2008, guiding his teams to a 65-19 mark over the four years. In the program’s two-year existence before his arrival, the school had never won a game. Lyon’s final two teams in 2007 and 2008 claimed league and regional championships, and his 2008 squad was the Kansas 3A state runner-up after finishing fourth in 2007.

While at Independent, Lyon also served as dean of students and was the head football coach from 2005-2007, guiding the 2007 team to the best record in school history.